Not the faunt of an impressive debut, but I found that it took me forever to read this grim, fictionalized account. For some reason I can bear reading biographical data or historical about such wrenching subject but fiction, especially these days is a slow go. Your mileage may vary.

A powerful narrative, but of all the characters, in some of their decisions, I had a hard time identifying with Mingzhu. I will read other books by Emma Pei Yin, this was a remarkable debut.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion. A mother, her daughter, and their maid are torn apart one fateful night, during the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong in 1941. This story follows their POVs as they fight to survive. The book is well written and inspiring, I was hooked from the beginning to end . I was immersed in the plot and characters. In the back drop of violence, there is hope and determination to fight for their way back to each other no matter what.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When Sleeping Women Wake
Author: Emma Pei Yin

Grateful every day for my buddy reads with Vee and for her introducing me to amazing books I would not normally read on my own! This book was incredible. Three women make their way during the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong in 1941. A mother, her daughter, and their maid are torn apart one fateful night, and we watch their stories unfold and get each of their POVs. It’s beautiful how their journeys are all far apart, but still woven together. The end was gut wrenching, yet beautiful at the same time. The strength of these women, and each of their individual impacts on the war was inspiring. I loved how the author used real people, events, and places in this book. I highly recommend reading the acknowledgments at the end. An amazing historical fiction read. Thank you Random House Publishing and Netgalley for my ARC!

Thank you @ballantinebooks for the gifted ARC!

"When sleeping women wake mountains move"

Title: When Sleeping Women Wake
Author: Emma Pei Yin
Pub Date: June 17, 2025

This book had me super excited for three main reasons! One, it's a debut and I love nothing more than a great debut! Second, it revolves around unlikely friendships. Third, it's about a part of history I know little about: Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in World War II.

I learned so much I didn't know about that time period in Hong Kong. So many of the WWII books I've read have been set in France, Germany, etc. that it was very interesting to read about familiar time periods from a different perspective.

The plot was a little slower paced in my opinion, but the real reason I wanted to keep reading on and on was because of how connected I became to the characters. The pacing at the end was perfect and the ending was wonderful!

Overall, I'm glad I read it, I learned a lot, and I can't wat to see what she writes next!

This was a well-written and thoroughly researched novel exploring the Japanese occupation of Hong King during World War II. I found it compulsively readable, with lots of character growth in the beginning and an action-packed finale. Highly recommended for fans of World War II and Asian fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a quick and entertaining read that I finished in a few hours.
A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
The characters were all realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.
A great debut title.

Thank you to Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House Publishing Group, and Netgalley for the digital arc.
Well structured plot revolves around the survival of three women, Mingzhu, her maid Biyu, and Mingzhu’s daughter, Qiang, during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong and Shanghai in WWII. The challenges, convictions, and the literary references , all work to paint a striking picture of each character's personal development against the backdrop occupation and resistance. I highly recommend “When Sleeping Women Wake”.
#WhenSleepingWomenWake

4.5/5 Stars

When Sleeping Women Wake by Emma Pei Yin focuses on three women who find themselves on very different paths when the Japanese being to occupy Hong Kong.

How far will each woman go to survive? Gripping, sad, but even with some hope this novel is a page turning read that I highly recommend.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I did enjoy this story, I think it’s a really strong debut novel. The plot and setting are spot on. It has a great cast of characters, but there were a few times I wished the development had gone a bit deeper. These women all face impossible challenges and rise above them, but sometimes that growth seemed to be rushed or glossed over. Still, it is a wonderful story.

I discovered When Sleeping Women Wake through NetGalley and am so glad I did. The historical fiction novel chronicles the life of three women during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during WWII. I am not as familiar with the Pacific Theatre of WWII as I should be, so this novel was a great jumping off point for wanting to learn more about the history. The three leads in this novel are all strong and empathetic while being very different from one another. The setting is of course a very dark one, but When Sleeping Women Wake focuses on the personal growth of these three women and does not get too dark, for the most part. I look forward to reading more from Emma Pei Yin!

Fine historical fiction. Set primarily in Hong Kong during WWII, it's the story of Mingzhu, her nanny/maid/friend Biyu and her daughter Quiang as they cope with the Japanese occupation. These were privileged women before the war, women who had been educated and had wealth. Now all of that is gone as Mingzhu finds herself coopted to work for Sato, a Japanese Army officer, and Biyu and Quiang are struggling to stay alive while working in a factory. But there is also an underground resistance movement that Mingzhu and Quiang find themselves working for. Know that there is graphic violence and disturbing activity but that it is true to the harrowing reality these women faced. There are also good people whose compassion is touching. This is atmospheric, emotional and propulsive- it became a page turner for me. I cared for these women, who leapt off the page. Yin's a great storyteller. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Great read.

"When Sleeping Women Wake, Mountains move"

I am awe struck... This book is absolutely STUNNING.

I have only read one other book about the Japanese occupation of Shanghai/Hong Kong but I learned so much out of this!

Mingzhu, Qiang and Biyu are such well written characters. I expected them to walk right out of the pages of the book. Each of their voices are so strong and all from different walks of life. I have a hard time believing just one person wrote this book with how different each character is and how full of life they are!

From page 1 I was hooked, Emma has such a beautiful way with words. I had no trouble imagining the library that was Mingzhu's sanctuary, the beautiful gardens of Hong Kong that the characters would stroll along, or the devastation that lay amongst the occupied territories.

I understood Biyu and Oiang's POV and but Mingzhu is such a TIGER! So fierce, spitfire character. Mingzhu was my favorite by far. Her ability to adapt and persevere throughout the horror's she encounters, the strength of her survival and capability to admit not all Japanese are bad. Her character has such a tremendous arc and I felt her story through the pages.

She said a quote in the book that stuck with me, "Race was just a weapon evil forces used to split societies apart". I think this is such a wise line and incredibly pertinent in today's world. Emma writes with such beauty but her words pack such a punch as well. Scenes of the abuse the people of Shanghai and Hong Kong endured were devastating but I think that brings the reality to the story. I am shocked to learn more through these historical fiction books than I ever did in school and for that I widely encourage everyone to pick this book up.

If you enjoyed The Tiger Queens you will most definitely love this book as well. Absolutely phenomenal book, I finished within 24 hours.

Thank you NetGalley, Ballantine Books and Emma Pei Yin for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of When Sleeping Women Wake.
This is an inspiring, heart wrenching story of strong women who make a difference in the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong in 1941. The history is fascinating and the treatment of women so sad. These women gain extraordinary strength to fight for themselves, their families and their country. I was immersed in the plot and characters from start to finish. Thief journey was difficult but showed strength, perseverance and love of family -all equally important.
I wanted a bit more storyline concerning the downfall of Japan. It felt a bit rushed while all the loose ends were being tied up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this impressive debut novel and I look forward to more from this author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Beautiful debut novel that is as much about resilience and the grief of war, as it is about becoming who you are when who you were set up to be is stripped away.

When Sleeping Women Wake Is set in Japanese occupied Hong Kong of the early 1940’s - and follows the first wife of a wealthy man thriving under the current British rule, their daughter and their attendant. When the invasion comes - they are thrown into much different directions and we get the privilege of following their journeys.

This is the best kind of historical fiction read - bringing you to a time that is often covered, but a place that is not. Definitely recommend looking for it when it publishes next week!

Thanks to Ballantine / Random House Publishing and Net Galley for the advanced reader copy!
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War will not break the bonds which unite three women

Mingzhu is raised in Shanghai by her parents with affection and is given many opportunities not offered to most girls. Her father overcomes his disappointment in her not being a son and encourages her passion for the written word, arranging for her to be schooled in reading and calligraphy. Biyu is a young orphan girl taken in by Mingzhu's family and becomes Mingzhu's personal maid, learning alongside her over the years. When the time comes for Mingzhu to marry, a match is arranged for her and she is sent to her new husband Wei Tang's home with Biyu at her side. She bears Wei a child, a daughter Qiang rather than the desired son; he later installs his concubine Cai in the household when she is successful in bearing him a son, although Mingzhu remains First Madame within the household hierarchy The Tang family flees Shanghai and heads to Hong Kong for safety when the Japanese invade the mainland. Wei is certain that they needn't worry, but within a few years he will be proven wrong when Hong Kong too falls to the Japanese forces. In the wake of that occurrence the three women are separated...Mingzhu, refined and accomplished in many languages, is forced to work for a Japanese officer, while Qiang and Biyu escape only to find themselves doing physically demanding factory work and struggling to find food and other supplies. Qiang was, like her mother before her, raised to have an independent spirit and strong will, which she will need to escape or at least survive the many dangers that await the Chinese in general and Chinese women in particular during the occupation. Each will find themselves becoming a part of the resistance to the oppression to which the Japanese are subjecting those whom they have conquered as they struggle to survive and hope to reunite with one another when the war has ended.
Three strong women who represent different strengths...Mingzhu, her intellectual skills; Qiang, her passion to take action; and Biyu, her loyalty to the women she served and her country.....form the core of this novel of historical fiction. There are elements of romance as well, primarily with the arrival of Henry Beaumont, hired as a tutor for Qiang before the invasion, who awakens feelings in Mingzhu she has never felt for her husband. As the story unfolds with short chapters, the reader learns more about life in Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation and the role that women played in the resistance effort. The title references a proverb, "When sleeping women wake, mountains move", which illustrates how powerful a force these women and others like them would become when they are put into untenable positions. Each character is well developed and the settings in which they find themselves are rendered in great detail. The writing is lovely and evocative even when what is being described is anything but. I wish that the romantic storylines were less of a focus and more weight given to the actions taken to undermine the Japanese, but that is just a personal preference. When Sleeping Women Wake is an engrossing novel overall, one likely to appeal to readers of Lisa See, Eve J. Chung and Kristin Hannah. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for allowing me access to this novel whose striking cover hints at the beauty to be found within its pages in exchange for my honest review.

An atmospheric and stirring novel about the little known Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during World War II. Told through the eyes of three Chinese women living in Hong Kong, this is a gut wrenching story of the women who survived untold horrors and found inner strength and resilience. Mingzhu, her daughter Qiang, and their servant, Biyu's stories are told with specific detailed intensity by the author, as if there is a personal emotional significance to these stories. Qiang's story of fighting in the resistance was particularly moving, as we watch her transform from a wealthy landowner's daughter to a resistance fighter. These women's stories deserve to be told, and I'm glad I picked this one up.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

When Sleeping Women Wake by Emma Pei Yin is a third person multi-POV historical set during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. Mingzhu is the first wife of a member of the Tang family. The family is made up of Mingzhu, her husband, their daughter Qiang, her husband’s concubine, and her son. The family fled Shanghai to escape the Japanese and have been living in Hong Kong, surrounded by British culture and English. But the occupation is getting closer and closer and everyone is going to have to make choices sooner rather than later.

One of the major themes is that there are good and bad people on every side and the dangers of indoctrination. There is no mistaking Mingzhu’s husband for a good man as he is abusive and sexist towards his wife, concubine, and daughter on a very regular basis. But some of the members of the Japanese military are actually working to help the Allies and end the Japanese occupation as soon as possible. Where it gets even trickier is a young woman named Hana who has obviously bought into Japanese propaganda but is actually liked by Mingzhu for the most part.

There are a lot of complicated dynamics going on. Biyu is technically a servant of Mingzhu but the two are so close in age and have known each other for so long that they are practically sisters, with the both of them caring deeply about the other’s safety. Qiang has a complex relationship with Hiroshi, a Japanese soldier who is hiding secrets of his own. Mingzhu and Cai, her sister-wife, do not like each other and yet Mingzhu will defend Cai from their husband. Nothing is truly black and white in this book, from people to relationships to situations, and it reflects the messiness that is real life especially in war time. It is easy to put people into neat little boxes, but humans can’t be categorized so easily.

Of the POV characters, my favorite was Mingzhu. She’s very elegant, well-read, and is searching for who she is after she’s had her daughter and is past the age of thirty. I love it when women who are past young adulthood are still exploring what they want from life and realizing that they are allowed to choose happiness, even if it’s only for a moment. Mingzhu finds herself attracted to Henry, a British man seven years her junior who is tutoring Qiang and the pair have their potential happily ever after constantly being derailed by their circumstances. When they’re separated, Qiang and Biyu are rarely far from Mingzhu’s mind and she does everything she can to get back to them and Henry.

Because this book takes place during the Japanese occupation, it should come as no surprise that certain topics, such as sexual assault, are going to come up. There are depictions of assault, murder, mentions of human experimentation and more. There is nothing I would call truly explicit on the page, but the threat of these things is still something that is constantly wearing on the narrative and the characters much like it would have for the people who lived through the occupation.

Content warning for brief depictions of sexual assault, murder, and mentions of torture

I would recommend this to fans of books exploring the complexities of war and readers of historicals set during the Japanese occupation looking for something with themes of motherhood

Thank you Netgalley & Ballantine Books for an eARC ♥️♥️♥️

Set during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in WWII—a chapter of history I shamefully knew nothing about—this story follows three fiercely resilient women whose lives intertwine in ways that had me sobbing, raging, and occasionally needing to just stare at the wall for a minute to process.
The writing is *stunning*—lyrical but unflinching, with these quiet, knife-twist moments of humanity that wrecked me. One second, I’d be furious at the injustices they faced; the next, my heart would shatter over a single line about sacrifice or sisterhood. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to hug it when you finish (or maybe throw it across the room, in a respectful way).
Now, fair warning: The timeline jumps between past and present can feel abrupt—like, *Wait, are we in 1942 or 1945?*—and I had to flip back a few times to reorient myself. But honestly? Even with that small hiccup, I couldn’t put it down. The characters’ journeys are just too gripping, and the history feels urgent and alive. ♥️

I’ll preface this review with the fact that I was born in Nanjing—the capital of China before Beijing, but most known for the atrocities committed by the Japanese during WWII. (Iris Chang wrote “The Rape of Nanking” if you’d like to learn more about this history.)

The Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, however, was not something I was as familiar with. This book felt equal parts inspiring and emotionally devastating—it’ll probably stay with me for quite some time.

“When Sleeping Women Wake” follows three women during this period: Mingzhu, Qiang, and Biyu. Their paths violently diverge when the Japanese invade Hong Kong.

Words feel inadequate to describe the journey this book took me on because the range of emotions was vast. Sometimes historical fiction can teach more than a history book—you get to feel exactly what someone is experiencing rather than just reading facts about it.